Saving Stripey
by ProLiferChelle
Summary: In this AU story, I change what I've always considered to be an unnecessary event in "Rilla of Ingleside." All characters not invented by me were created by L. M. Montgomery.
1. Chapter 1

SPLASH!  
It was done. Little Bruce Meredith did not look back. He ran off, sobbing, broken-hearted. He did not know that the Caldwell family, Frank, Martha, and their children, twelve-year-old Bertram and ten-year-old Loretta, newcomers to the Glen, had been watching, horrified.

Bertram, the best swimmer and diver in the family, plunged into the water. He came up seconds later with a wet, shivering, trembling, frightened, miserable kitten.

"We'll have to get this poor kitten home right away if we want to save him," Martha said.

The Caldwells hurried home with the kitten. Tenderly, lovingly, they ministered to him. Martha dried him with a soft towel. Loretta fed him warm milk from an eye-dropper. All of them spoke to him kindly, reassuringly.

"Poor kitty."

"Good kitty."

"Sweet kitty."

"Darling kitty."

More gentle rubbing with the towel. More drops of milk. More kind words.

And then, very faintly, and as if asking a question:

"Mew?"

The Caldwells looked at each other.

The kitten gave a slightly louder "Mew."

"Thank God," said Loretta.

"Yes, thank God," Frank agreed, "but this kitten isn't out of the woods just yet."

"He's going to need a lot of care for the next few days," said Martha.

####  
Bruce did not sleep very well that night. He kept hearing that SPLASH. He wasn't sure, now,  
that he had done the right thing. And how had Stripey... poor Stripey!... felt?

"Maybe," he thought, "God would bring Jem home even if I didn't drown Stripey."

But it was too late now. He _had_ drowned Stripey, and he could never bring him back.

Bruce did not realize it at the time, but it was then that he began to understand that some  
things, once they are done, can never be undone.

But there was one thing he _could _do.

"God," he whispered, "please take care of Stripey.. and please tell him to forgive me."


	2. Chapter 2

Two days later, Martha Caldwell walked over to the manse and knocked, or rather pounded, on the door. John and Rosemary Meredith came to the door. Martha did not waste any time on formalities.

"I am Martha Caldwell, and I want to know what kind of people are you? What kind of PARENTS are you?" She pointed at Mr. Meredith. "What kind of a MINISTER are you?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you are talking about, madam," he said.

"Neither do I," said Rosemary. "Now, if you'd just calm down..."

"I'll _tell _you what I'm talking about!" Martha broke in. "What kind of parents make their little boy... their _very_ little boy, drown his pet kitten?"

"But, madam," John Meredith protested.

"Don't you 'but madam' me! We... my husband, our children, and I... saw the whole thing! We saw how heartbroken that poor little boy was!"

"Madam," said the Reverend John Meredith, "We did not make our son drown his kitten."

"We'd never do such a thing," Rosemary added. "If we had had any idea of what he was planning to do, we would have stopped him."

"I suppose I owe you an apology, then," Martha conceded, "but why..."

John Meredith told her what had motivated Bruce's sacrifice of his beloved pet.

"You need to straighten out that child's theology," Martha said.

"I plan to," John answered, "but I want to be careful not to make him feel like a murderer. He is already grieving enough about his kitten."

"The kitten is not dead," Martha said. "My son pulled him out in time, and we've been taking care of him these past few days."

"That's wonderful news!" John Meredith exclaimed.

"Bruce is playing outside. I'll call him in, and you can tell him what you've told us. And.. thank you. Thank you so much!" Rosemary said.

Bruce came running in when he heard his mother's call.

"This is Mrs. Caldwell. She has something to tell you about Stripey," said Rosemary.

Bruce's lip trembled. "No. I don't want to talk about him. Not ever."

"Son," John Meredith said quietly, "Stripey is alive."

"You mean... he's alive in Heaven?" Bruce whispered.

"No," Martha Caldwell said. "He's alive at my house. As I told your parents, my son pulled him out in time, and my family's been taking care of him."

"Really, truly?" Bruce asked.

"Really, truly," Martha answered.

"Can I... can I come see him?"

His parents, wisely, did not tell him that it isn't polite to invite oneself to somebody else's house. This definitely was _not_ the time to correct Bruce's manners.

"Of course," Martha said kindly. "We can all go right now. I know how hard waiting can be."


	3. Chapter 3

When they reached the Caldwell house, Martha said, "I'm sorry my husband isn't here right now. She then introduced her children, who were on the porch.

Bertram and Loretta couldn't help giving Bruce dirty looks. They didn't think much of a boy who would drown a kitten, no matter what reason he may have had. Besides, they had become very fond of Stripey, and, quite honestly, did not want to give him up.

"Let's go inside," Martha said, opening the door.

The first thing Bruce saw was Stripey. The kitten was batting a crumpled-up piece of newspaper across the carpet.

Bruce got down on the carpet.

"Stripey," he called softly. "Stripey."

Stripey looked at Bruce warily. Then he hid behind the sofa.

"He's afraid of you," Bertram said.

Loretta added, "He doesn't trust you, and I don't blame him."

"Neither do I," said Bertram, "after what you did to him."

"Bertram, Loretta, hush!" their mother exclaimed.

"But they're right," Bruce sobbed. "They're right. If I was Stripey, I wouldn't trust me either!"

"Son," John Meredith said gently, "why don't you just sit very still, and let Stripey come to you?

Bruce sat and waited for what seemed like hours.

And then... Stripey came out from behind the sofa. Bruce held his breath.

Slowly, hesitantly, the kitten walked over to the little boy.

"Oh, Stripey," Bruce sobbed. "Oh, Stripey."

Tentatively, carefully, he reached out and tickled Stripey's chin.

And then... oh, great joy!... Stripey licked Bruce's hand, and purred.

The adults in the room smiled and, at the same time, blinked back tears.

Bertram and Loretta scowled.

"I suppose," Loretta said sourly, "you'll want him back now."

"Well," Martha said, "Stripey _was _Bruce's kitten first."

"No," Bruce said. "I'm not taking him back.

"Are you sure?" Rosemary asked.

"I'm sure," Bruce answered. "I love Stripey, and I'm real glad he didn't drown. But I gived him up to bring Jem Blythe home,  
so I don't think I _can_ take him back. Besides," he added thoughtfully, "it don't matter who Stripey belongs to.  
All I care is about is, he isn't dead, and he forgived me."


End file.
